Apr 13, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; UFC president Dana White in attendance during UFC 300 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

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No Title Shot For This Fighter As A Visibly Frustrated Dana White Signals Way Back To The Drawing Board

Dana White expresses frustration, urging the fighter to reassess and return to the drawing board after recent antics!

Apr 13, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; UFC president Dana White in attendance during UFC 300 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The fight game can be as tough as the fighters themselves. Just ask Arman Tsarukyan, who learned the hard way that pulling out of a UFC title fight comes with consequences. The rising lightweight star had earned his shot at Islam Makhachev’s crown through impressive wins over Charles Oliveira and Beneil Dariush.

However, a last-minute back injury forced him to withdraw from UFC 311’s main event. This left the promotion scrambling for a replacement and left UFC CEO Dana White with a sour taste in his mouth, as was evident from the post-fight press conference.

Also Read: What Happened To Arman Tsarukyan? Why Did Arman Pull Out Of UFC 311?

Dana White Comments On Arman Tsarukyan’s Title Shot Status

During the post-fight press conference, White didn’t mince words about Tsarukyan’s future. While he usually delivers bad news with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer, this time, he kept it surprisingly straightforward.

“He’s not getting a title shot. That means he’s going to have to fight his way back to the title…He’s going back to the drawing board. I don’t want anybody to ever fight hurt, ever. We’ve been in these positions before.”

While Dana White’s frustration was evident, he did show some understanding of the situation. The UFC boss made it clear that he never wants fighters competing while injured. The UFC Performance Institute’s Heather Linden, who White described as “the best in the world,” was even brought in to assess the situation. But in the fight business, timing is everything, and sometimes missing the shot means taking ten steps back.

Arman Tsarukyan’s Response To Dana White’s Comments

Surprisingly, Arman Tsarukyan took the news like a champ. He quickly agreed with Dana White’s assessment on social media and even called for a five-round fight against Charles Oliveira to prove he deserves another crack at the title.

Arman Tsarukyan wants to rematch Charles Oliveira in a 5-round fight after Dana White said he won't be fighting for the title next#UFC311 #UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/Arvir962GE
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) January 19, 2025

This response shows the kind of maturity that might help him get back into Dana White’s good graces faster than expected. After all, in the UFC, everyone loves a comeback story. For now, Arman Tsarukyan will have to channel his inner Rocky Balboa and start climbing those metaphorical steps again, preferably with a fully functional back this time!

(Image Credit: Mark J. Rebilas – Imagn Images)

Arman Tsarukyan

Charles Oliveira

Dana White

Islam Makhachev

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!